Monday, August 29, 2011

Grating Ginger



If you've seen a recipe that calls for "grated" ginger and don't have any implement that grates other than a cheese grater, here is what you need: a ginger grater.  Now, I don't often go in for implements that have only one use, but for this it's totally worth it.

There are more varieties than one would guess for a sole-use implement.  I picked up a lovely painted ceramic one at a market in Aix-en-Provence last year as a gift for a friend.  I so wished I had gotten myself one that I went hunting for one when I returned.  I found a very utiltarian one at our local Asian market for around $5.  It's not pretty like the one I brought my friend, but it does a superb job of producing pulpy "grated" ginger.

Why would you want grated ginger versus minced or chopped?  There are times when you need it to blend into a liquid and not leave chunks that even the finest mince would leave.  Grating also releases more juice and results in a slightly milder flavor than mincing or chopping. That means the effect on a dish is different and can be taken into account when deciding which method to use. The three methods line up in order of intensity from least (grated) to most (chopped). I think about using grating if I want the flavor of ginger, but mincing or chopping if I want the taste to jump out.

I hope you have an excuse to use grated ginger and find yourself a ginger grater!

1 comment: